Swanns and Sparrows
by Pirate-Swann
Summary: NOT A JE fic! WE! Will leaves Elizabeth to try and make a life of his own out at sea. Not taking this too well, Elizabeth vows to try and find him, but runs into some unexpected people, or should I say miscreants from her past. 2ns chapter added!
1. Tortuga

Rating: PG - 13  
  
Summary: Will leaves Elizabeth to try and make a life of his own out at sea. Not taking this too well, Elizabeth vows to try and find him, but runs into some unexpected people, or should I say miscreants from her past.  
  
". . . I just don't understand why he would leave me. I mean, our love was genuine, unadulterated love. Why would he give all that up for piracy?"  
  
"Gurgle, snort."  
  
Elizabeth looked up from swirling her finger around in her water to see the snoring man on the other side of the table. She stood and bent over him, scrunching her nose at the stench. He had three empty mugs next to him and one half-full of whisky.  
  
She gave him a light pat on the shoulder "Thanks, mate, you've been a wonderful listener." With that, she stepped over the bench she had been sitting on and glanced around the candle-litten tavern, surveying the scene.  
  
Over at another table, she spied a black-haired many surrounded my about half a dozen bar-maids, who all seemed to be enthralled by whatever it was he was saying. She slowly walked over to see if she could catch a few of his words.  
  
" . . . So I says to him, listen up you dim-witted beast, I'll have your head cut off in a second! And he lunged at me, jumped right on me back, he did! So, I took out me dagger and stabbed him right in the chest! Last I ever say o' that mangy beast." The bar-maids around the black- haired man gasped and then clapped.  
  
Elizabeth knew that voice; she'd heard that voice many times. "Jack." She whispered. "What on earth is Jack doing in Tortuga?" Elizabeth thought to herself. A moment later Elizabeth dismissed that question, the answer was so obvious.  
  
She cleared her throat. "Jack." She stood apprehensively; Jack was the type of character that you never knew what he was going to do next.  
  
He turned around and looked at her, his eyes widened. "What in the blazes are you doing here?" He looked her over from head to foot with bulging eyes as he said this, thinking that it might just be the whiskey playing tricks on him.  
  
"Well, I was going to ask you the same thing, but then I thought the question rather stupid." She said with the slightest hint of a smile.  
  
"So, where's your beloved?"  
  
Elizabeth looked to the bar-maids around him, an awkward look on her face. She didn't quite feel comfortable explaining that the love of her life had left her for a life of piracy in front of some bar-maids.  
  
"If you'd excuse us ladies." The encircled bar-maids removed themselves.  
  
"Where's Will?" He asked, now seemingly interested, and almost concerned.  
  
"I was going to inquire the same."  
  
"You lost him?" Asked a wide-eyed Jack, obviously drunk.  
  
Elizabeth held a confused look on her face. "What on earth . . . of course I didn't lose him. How would you lose . . ." Elizabeth shook her head and replaced the look on her face with a smiling, calm one. "No, Jack. Will left me. He left me for piracy." She once again looked to the floor.  
  
"No." He did'n. (YES! It's SUPPOSED to be 'did'n'!!) Jack still stared, wide-eyed. "Will? Leave you? He loved you more than life itself."  
  
"I came here to Tortuga in hopes of finding you . . . or him. I need assistance in locating him. I hate to be desperate, Jack, you know that, but I'll do anything to find him."  
  
"This storyline seems too familiar."  
  
"Look, Jack. I know our past experiences together haven't been prodigious, but I really need your help, and I'm willing to go out of my way for it."  
  
"Well. Will was a whelp I was fond of, so I guess I'll help yeh. I suppose you'll be needin' a crew?"  
  
"Yes, that would be advantageous." Elizabeth smiled and almost hugged Jack, but then recovered herself, and just smiled. "So, where is your vessel?"  
  
"Follow me, Miss Swann." Jack lead the way out of the tavern and into the dim-lit street, walking past inns with men and women draped over the banisters, holding flasks of all sorts of alcoholic drinks. One man with a heavy Irish accent was evening singing  
  
"And if I would walk five hundred miles, I'd still be fat and drunk as hell!"  
  
"Is this town ever somber?" Asked Elizabeth.  
  
"Not that I've seen."  
  
They walked to the docks and Elizabeth stopped, glancing around. "Well, where is your ship?"  
  
"Do you honestly think that I, the eminent captain, Jack Sparrow would anchor my magnificent ship at a dock in Tortuga?"  
  
Elizabeth nodded.  
  
"Right you are then, it's right over there, out beyond those rocks."  
  
Elizabeth stood on tip-toe and what seemed to be lanterns hovering above the surface of the ocean.  
  
Jack whistled and slowly the vessel drew nearer. Soon it became so close that Elizabeth could heart the sound of the sea as the large ship split through it as a knife does butter. The lights from the docks now showed the ship's true form the ship.  
  
"Nice boat."  
  
Jack looked at her aggravated. "Ship," he whispered in an annoyed correction. "It's not a boat, it's a ship."  
  
Elizabeth glanced back at him. "Is that the ship that I think it is?"  
  
Jack smiled at her. "If you are talking about the Pearl, then yes, Miss Swann, that is the ship that you think it is. Fancy that."  
  
"It is quite staggering."  
  
The vessel sailed up next to the dock and was anchored.  
  
"Miss Swann. Our ship awaits." Jack walked towards the ship, and stopped, waiting for Elizabeth.  
  
"Up you go," he said, helping her on board, then himself.  
  
Once on board, Elizabeth looked around. The ship had changed considerably since last she'd been aboard it.  
  
"Mates!" Called Jack, "We've got company!"  
  
About four dozen men walked up to Jack from various places about the boat, from in the midst of them, Gibbs made his way forward. "Miss Elizabeth, top-o'-the evening."  
  
Elizabeth smiled, "Mr. Gibbs, what a pleasant surprise."  
  
"You're quite the sight for sore eyes, yourself."  
  
Once again, Elizabeth smiled at him.  
  
"I have a new quest for you' gents!" Jack said with ardency. "A quest to find a pirate."  
  
The men looked at one another, talking amongst themselves. "Elizabeth. Did Will leave anything that would give us the slightest clue as to where he was headed?"  
  
"He left me a note, saying that he was going to join a buccaneer crew in the Virgin Islands."  
  
"To the Virgin Islands it is, then!"  
  
The ship's anchor was raised, and the crew bustled about the decks, preparing for a voyage to the Virgins (am I the only one who thinks that doesn't sound quite right?).  
  
"I've never been to the Virgin Islands before," said Morris as he swabbed the deck.  
  
"Me neither," said Spider, "Is that in the Caribbean?" Spider plunged his mop into a bucket of brown water and then plopped it on the deck.  
  
"I'm not sure." Replied Morris, "But if the name is a summary of the women there, I think we'll be right at home."  
  
I hope you guys like the beginning of it! Drop me a review! It would be greatly appreciated! 


	2. Extempore Things

Okay, I got a few reviews and it seems like most of you are enjoying my story. Sorry that first chapter was REALLY short, I wanted to put it up before I went away for the week so that I could come back and start out with a new one. Sorry to disappoint all you people who want Elizabeth and Jack to be together, but I like Will and Elizabeth together, therefore they shall remain that way in my story, that is, if Elizabeth can find him. . . Maybe I'll put a few J/E moments in, just for you guys.  
  
"Mr. Sparrow, I really must question your capability of navigating this ship." Elizabeth stood behind Jack as he looked at his broken compass and turned the wheel a bit to the right. "You said that we were half way to the Virgin Islands after we had been out at sea for one day two days ago!"  
  
"And I, Miss Swann, must question your ability to be quiet."  
  
Elizabeth looked slightly taken aback by this, but that did not stop her from releasing her retort. "Are you accusing me of being at fault for being concerned about the fate of the man I love?"  
  
"No, Miss Swann, I'm accusing you of being incapable of being quiet!"  
  
"Well, if not being able to be silent merits the right to ask for help when lost, then I would choose that over being a pompous pirate." With that, Elizabeth turned on her heel and headed down the steps to the main deck.  
  
Gibbs walked up to her, "Don't Worry, Miss Elizabeth. We'll find Will."  
  
Elizabeth smiled, "It's not finding him that I'm worried about. It's the condition and state of mind that he'll be in when we do."  
  
Gibbs tried to smile, but Elizabeth's bereaved face made it impossible to do so. It was hard to keep her pain and pessimism from seeping into his own heart. "I'm afraid that the only condolences I can offer ye is that the whole crew is behind you. Even . . . even Jack. I know it doesn't seem so right now, but Jack liked Will. And he likes you." He patted her back and then moved on.  
  
Elizabeth was about to return to her cabin when she heard one of the crewmen yell "Land ahead, Cap'n!"  
  
Elizabeth raced to the front of the boat and put her hands out in front of her, grasping the railing and sliding to a stop. Sure enough, there was land straight ahead. She smiled. Although she wasn't certain, she had a feeling in the depths of her heart that Will was there. It was almost as if she could feel him.  
  
"We'll dock and have a look around," said Jack, walking up behind Elizabeth. "I hope that you haven't gotten your hopes up about finding Will. He said he was going to the Virgin Islands a year ago, he may very well have moved on."  
  
Elizabeth turned and looked at Jack with an almost expressionless face "I'm aware of that." Her eyes were narrow, and her voice cold. She the walked away from him, towards Cotton, who was swabbing the decks with Anna-Maria.  
  
"Miss Swann, I wouldn't get ready to jump off just yet. Could be another half hour before we dock." Anna-Maria said this as she leaned against her mop.  
  
"I see." Replied Elizabeth, "Would you be so kind as to inform me when the time draws nearer"  
  
Anna-Maria nodded and Elizabeth.  
  
Elizabeth walked to the stern f the boat and sat down, leaning back against the railing. She daydreamed. Of the life that she and Will could (would?) have. It seemed absurd to even imagine such a thing with everything that had happened. Before Elizabeth knew it, she was lost in a world of daydreams and thoughts. She loved Will with all of her heart, but did he love her in the same way? If he did, why would he have gone gallivanting off like that? You don't just wake up one morning and stop loving somebody. Love isn't ephemeral. It's forever.  
  
In the midst of all her absorption Anna-Maria yelled to her, "Miss Swann! We'll be dropping the anchor in a few moments!"  
  
Elizabeth sat upright and looked around. In all her thinking she had completely forgotten that she was aboard the Black Pearl. With haste, she stood and tidied her dress. She was about to go join the crew as they docked, but then decided to go to her cabin for a moment. Bustling down the steps to the main deck, she turned and went down the stairs to her cabin. Opening the door, she slipped in and closed it behind her.  
  
Walking over to the mirror, she picked up her hairbrush from her nightstand. The cabin was so incommodious that she could stand in front of her mirror and reach over to the nightstand without extending her arm fully. She could also walk from her bed to the door in three steps.  
  
Looking at herself in the mirror, she tilted her head to the left and started brushing her hair vigorously. It was tangled - if she was to possibly find Will, she wanted to look nice. For all she knew it could aid his decision to return. Then she stopped. If Will really loved her, he wouldn't care if she looked disgraceful. She set the brush back on top of her nightstand and gave herself one last glance in the mirror. Her hair was still a shambles, but she didn't care. She turned, and in two steps, had reached the door and opened it.  
  
"Alright, mates! There'll be no stopping in taverns to have a drink or two. Nor will there be any visits to a bawd (I'm not sure what they were calling this back then). Our reason for being here is to search for Will. Remember that." Jack nodded to the men, who, at this signal, started leaving the boat as fast as possible.  
  
Elizabeth appeared at his side. "Time to go ashore?"  
  
Jack looked at her and half-smiled. "Time to go ashore."  
  
Once on the dock, Elizabeth set off in a search for Will. Part of her was hoping she wouldn't find him. What if he wished to stay where he was? That would be awful. What would she do? With all her heart she wished that he would sweep her into a tight embrace and whisper into her ear how much he loved her and that he would die for her. Like in all of the romance novels she'd read. (I'm assuming here that a woman of Elizabeth's stature would know how to read).  
  
The sun was starting to set, and Elizabeth wanted to search a good part of the town before she turned in for the night. In her mind, she conjured up questions to ask to people about Will. "Brown hair, wavy." Then a thought occurred to her. In the past year that she had not seen Will, he could have changed considerably. What if he had cut his hair? Or had started to shave all of his facial hair?  
  
Elizabeth's mind was suddenly beleaguered with questions. "What if I'm not able to find him? What if he doesn't even recognize me? What if he refuses to go?" She tried to block out these pestering thoughts.  
  
Will loved her. She knew it. She would find him. He would return with her. Her thoughts sounded cocksure, granted, but she knew Will. He would come.  
  
Clearing her mind of any more abrasive thoughts, she quickly started walking down the dry dirt street. This town was a bit better than Tortuga at least.  
  
She spotted a tavern and entered through the creaky wooden door. The people inside were rowdy. Barmaids were dancing on tables; men were drunk as could be. The place reeked of whisky. Elizabeth walked up to a man, one of the few who was not carrying a flask at that moment.  
  
"Excuse me." She asked, trying to be heard above the crowd.  
  
"Yeh?" Replied the man.  
  
"I'm here to inquire about the whereabouts of William Turner."  
  
The man slightly cocked his head and gave her a strange look, cocking his head.  
  
Elizabeth sighed impatiently. "Will Turner. Does that name sound familiar?"  
  
The man gave her another odd look and shrugged. He turned to the bar and yelled to one of the barmaids dancing on a table. Elizabeth almost screamed in rage at the ignorance of these people. She stood on tip-toes to see if she could spy Will over the, what seemed, like millions of people in the tavern.  
  
Suddenly she spotted someone familiar. Was it? It couldn't be. The man turned around and Elizabeth let out a gasp. There, about twenty feet away from her stood Will. She went to take a step towards him, then stopped. She hadn't a clue what to do when she got over there. What would she say? He looked up, and Elizabeth ducked behind a crowd of jeering people. She turned, and briskly walked out.  
  
Once in the street, she let out a sigh. The sun had set, giving the air a crisp feel to it. She breathed deeply and closed her eyes. She considered whether or not to go back in, then decided against it. She would to return to the Pearl.  
  
Once there, she saw Jack sitting on the dock, staring up into the sky. She walked towards him. Once he heard her, he stood up and turned to face her. "Any luck finding Will?"  
  
She nodded. "I-I found him."  
  
Jack's eyes widened. "That's . . . that's wonderful! Where is he?"  
  
"Tavern. Jack . . . I-"  
  
"Last place I would have expected to find him."  
  
She took a step towards Jack, her eyes started to well up. "Let's leave." He gave her a confused look. "Leave. We - we don't have to find him. I -I mean . . . he knows what he wants. If this is the path he's chosen, then who am I to stop him." Tears had already started streaming down her face.  
  
Jack gave her a sympathetic and understanding look. "Will loves you. We are both well-aware of that."  
  
"If he loves me so much, why did he leave me?"  
  
"I don't know. We don't know. He may have a very logical explanation." Jack smiled at this, causing Elizabeth to sniffle and do the same.  
  
"Just what would that logical explanation be?" She smiled again, and looked him in the eyes.  
  
"I don't know." He said, taking a step towards her, his voice becoming softer. "All things happen for a reason. Even though sometimes it seems as if . . . as if there can be no reason for doing such a thing." He paused, then put his hand upon her cheek.  
  
They stood there for a moment, gazing at each other. "It's also true, I suppose," she said, removing his hand from her cheek and taking a step backwards. "That every person is meant for another. Is it possible that once you have found that person, you love them so much that you sometimes to extempore things?"  
  
Jack smiled quickly, slightly embarrassed. He looked down. "Yes, I suppose so. Love is a tricky thing. Sometimes it can be so confusing that it causes you to do extempore things."  
  
Elizabeth smiled. "Thank you Jack." He smiled back at her. She turned to leave and was taken aback by who stood there.  
  
"Elizabeth."  
  
"Will." She almost whispered.  
  
Alright, there's your second bloody chapter, lol. I added a J/E moment in there, even though I don't like them together. PLEASE drop me a review, I don't mean to sound desperate, it's just really great to hear that my work is appreciated. It gives me a lot of inspiration. 


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